Baseball is a game of tradition, of heart, of moments that transcend the diamond. At Oklahoma City University, one such moment took the shape of a rooster—a bird that, by some twist of fate, became a living embodiment of a coach who left an indelible mark on the program.
Coach Denny Crabaugh was more than a baseball coach. He was a mentor, a leader, and a man who commanded the respect of the game across the country. His passing in July of 2022 left a void in the OCU baseball family, a silence in the dugout that couldn’t be filled. His booming voice, his unwavering belief in his players, his presence—but as fall turned to winter and the season crept closer, something extraordinary happened.
A powerful April storm swept through OCU, bringing with it wild winds and a restless energy. The day after, while removing the tarp from the field, a group of players found themselves chasing a rooster along the third-base line.
The bird, battered by the storm, was scared and disoriented. Coach Keith Lytle, watching the scene unfold, told the players to leave the poor thing alone.
But something about that rooster seemed different. Over the next two days, Coach Lytle tried to coax the rooster down from a tree near the field, offering it food and water. Slowly, the rooster learned to trust him. Only him.
And when the season began, the bird made itself at home, perching in a pine tree, watching the games, and crowing as if cheering for the Stars.
One day, Coach Lytle’s wife, Jane, observed something uncanny. “I think that’s Denny,” she said. He laughed it off until she reminded him of his own childhood belief that loved ones returned in the form of birds. A cardinal had perched on their porch after his father’s passing. Why not a rooster for Denny?
Then, something even more surreal happened. During postseason play, Denny’s daughter, Mindy, and his son, Cody, brought Denny’s grandchildren to a game.
After a victory, the kids were taken to see the rooster. “Come here, Mr. Rooster!” they called. The bird, which had never approached anyone but Coach Lytle, immediately hopped down from its perch and walked toward them, letting out a crow that echoed the presence of Denny.
It was as if, for a fleeting moment, their grandfather was still with them, watching over the game he loved so dearly.
The legend of the rooster was born.
The story spread across campus. Students, awakened by the rooster’s early-morning calls, stopped complaining when they learned of its significance. One of Denny’s favorite sayings— “You’ve got to get up at dawn to soar with the eagles”—took on a new life. A former professor, Denise Binkley, researched Denny’s birth year and discovered that his Chinese zodiac sign was, incredibly, a rooster.
As time passed, the rooster became more than a campus oddity, he was a symbol of resilience, of tradition, of the unbreakable bond between coach and team. The players nicknamed him “DC” after Coach Crabaugh.
Fans and alumni embraced him as part of OCU baseball lore. But the moments that stick with Coach Lytle the most are the quiet ones. The times he walks onto the field before a game, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, only to hear that familiar crow from the trees. “Every now and then, when I need it the most, I hear him,” he says. “And I know Denny’s still with us.”
This past summer, as the heat bore down on campus, the rooster disappeared for a few days. Coach Lytle searched everywhere, fearing the worst.
Then, of all people, Denny’s youngest daughter, Amy, spotted him in a tree near the east side of campus. Of course it had to be her. The connection deepened, the legend grew, and DC continued to be a guiding presence.
Now, the rooster has made a home among the students, still part of OCU but finding his own way, just as Denny would have wanted. And Coach Lytle? He still talks to him. Still feels his presence. “I know it sounds strange,” he admits, “but sometimes, when I look at that rooster, my heart feels good. Maybe, just maybe, through him, Denny’s spirit is still here.”
So next time you go to an OCU baseball game, listen closely. Beyond the crack of the bat, beyond the roar of the crowd, you might hear a crow from the pine trees. A reminder that legends never truly leave us, they just find new ways to stay in the game.
At Oklahoma City University, baseball isn’t just a game. It’s a brotherhood, a legacy, a love that endures—sometimes, even in the form of a rooster.
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